Introduction
Indie rock’s popularity as a genre in recent times has brought several groups and projects to the forefront of the music world. One of these albums that has received a great deal of attention in the mainstream is Squid’s “Cowards.” The album was well received by the meta critics and audiences alike, being a solid entry by the band.
The Substance
“Cowards” is indie-alt rock in its purest form. The instrumentals are funky and border on almost being experimental. Some of the performances on guitar in tracks such as “Blood on the Boulders” are an impressive display of what a creative string section can do for a track. Tracks such as “Crispy Skin” and “Showtime!” use a more funky sound, in contrast to some of the heavier tracks such as “Building 650,” which sounds more like traditional rock songs.
“‘Crispy Skin’ sounds like a retro silk sonic type song,” says Cyrus Lariz. “This is what I imagine ‘The Smiths’ sounds like.”
The vocals of the album are a little less groundbreaking than the production. In large part, we hear the same monotonous, breathy voice on all the tracks. At times on “Crispy Skin” and “Showtime!” we hear a change in vocal inflections, but these moments are few and far in between. Still, the vocalist certainly has talent, and it would be interesting to see him flex his capabilities in the future.
“‘Showtime!’ reminds me of peak 2020 indie rock,” said Lariz. “It reminded me of artists like Wilbur Soot.”
The only issue with the album is that some of the tracks in the middle are a bit dull compared to the beginning and the ending. The opening three tracks were a great run, each song seemed to have some different elements and styles incorporated. We then go through the center songs, where the creativity seems to drop off. “Fieldworks” I and II seem as though they could just be clumped together. “Cro-Magnon Man” doesn’t have enough going on to match the energy of the first album. At “Showtime!” the album picks back up and maintains stamina for the rest of the album. Unfortunately, there’s only one song left.
Conclusion
Squid is a very talented group of individuals. They have produced a great album here, there are elements of “Cowards” that work very well and that I would like to see expanded upon in future projects. The only downside is that the album’s center feels a bit empty compared to the beginning and the ending. Still, if this album is any indication of the band’s progress, it’s safe to say that they will continue to improve and better themselves.
